Order of Operations

"To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under Heaven."

Of course, implied in there is that there are other times which are not right for any given purpose.

I'm trained as both a paramedic and an engineer. We both solve problems. We both use a combination of technical knowledge, calculation, experience, and guesswork to solve our problems. But the paramedic would rather an imperfect solution NOW then a perfect one in fifteen minutes, while as a wise man once said "engineers will keep engineering something until you make them stop."

I often think those two different perspectives are incredibly valuable to me. I often think the lack of perspective in my co-workers in either trade is a curse at least equal to the value.

There is a time to rush ahead, and a time to proceed with caution. There is a time to put up a straw man, and a time to do meticulous examination.

Having someone do work you know you're going to need to redo later may be a good option - but not when you're giving them overtime to do it in.

Sometimes you have to slap a dressing on and hold pressure with your hand, but sometimes it is better to let it bleed a little while you set up for a proper dressing. It depends on the severity of the wound, the resources available, the situation your in at the time... many factors. Sometimes it is obvious, sometimes it is not. Frequently you never know what the best choice was, even after it is all over.

Engineering has plenty of analogues. If you're making a family of parts, is it better to get the parent perfect, or forge ahead on several at once? While you're thinking, the clock is ticking and the budget is being used up. Not as dramatic as blood, at least to anyone who isn't an accountant, but just as vital in the end.